美国语文第六册 第147期:麻雀

 Little birds sit on the telegraph wires, And chitter, and flitter, and fold their wings; 鸟儿端坐在电线上，啾啾而鸣，飞来飞去，又合上翅膀；

Maybe they think that, for them and their sires, Stretched always, on purpose, those wonderful strings¹: 或许它们在想，为它们和它们的王子，始终特地拉紧那些美丽的线：

And, perhaps, the Thought that the world inspires, Did plan for the birds, among other things. 也许，能启发整个世界的这个念头，就是这些鸟儿的打算。

Little birds sit on the slender lines, And the news of the world runs under their feet, 鸟儿端坐在纤细的绳上，这个世界的新鲜事就在它们脚下，

How value rises, and how declines, How kings with their armies in battle meet, 绳子的价值有多么大，又有多么小，领导它们的鸟王如何在战场上相遇，

And, all the while, 'mid² the soundless signs, They chirp³ their small gossipings, foolish sweet. 一直在无声的信号中间，它们啾啾地低语，愚蠢的甜言蜜语。

Little things light on the lines of our lives,— Hopes, and joys, and acts of to-day, 小东西偶然发现了维系我们生活的线——希望，欢乐今朝，

And we think that for these the Lord contrives⁴, Nor catch what the hidden lightnings say. 我们觉得这是上帝特意为它们设计的，不会被隐蔽的电击中。

Yet, from end to end, His meaning arrives, And His word runs underneath⁵, all the way. 然而从一端到另一端，上帝的意思都传达到了，他的话能直达下界。

Is life only wires and lightning, then, Apart from that which about it clings? 那么，生活中仅仅有电线和电，才能依附吗？

Are the thoughts, and the works, and the prayers of men 还有思想、劳动和人们的祈祷，

Only sparrows that light on God's telegraph strings, Holding a moment, and gone again? 只有偶然发现了上帝的电缆的麻雀，把握住了这一刻，会再去吗？

Nay⁶; He planned for the birds, with the larger things. 不会的，上帝为鸟儿们有更大的着想。

 

1 strings   

n.弦

参考例句：

• He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。
• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

2 mid   

adj.中央的，中间的

参考例句：

• Our mid-term exam is pending.我们就要期中考试了。
• He switched over to teaching in mid-career.他在而立之年转入教学工作。

3 chirp   

v.(尤指鸟)唧唧喳喳的叫

参考例句：

• The birds chirp merrily at the top of tree.鸟儿在枝头欢快地啾啾鸣唱。
• The sparrows chirp outside the window every morning.麻雀每天清晨在窗外嘁嘁喳喳地叫。

4 contrives   

（不顾困难地）促成某事( contrive的第三人称单数 )； 巧妙地策划，精巧地制造（如机器）； 设法做到

参考例句：

• The striver contrives to derive that privacy can't be deprived. 奋斗者想方设法推导得出隐私（权）不可剥夺。
• Chance contrives better than we ourselves. 机遇往往出人意料；人算不如天算。

5 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

6 nay   

adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者

参考例句：

• He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。
• Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。